Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has declared dead the Opposition Coalition Group in the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state and vowed that it will not resurrect again. He stressed that the Rescue Mission Camp has taken over the party structures.

Addressing journalists yesterday at the Government House, Owerri during a media interaction, the governor also said that while other dissident coalition members would be readmitted into the APC fold, such leaders of the group like Sen. Ifeanyi Araraume, Sen. Hope Uzodimma, Sen. Benjamin Uwajumogu, Sen. Osita Izunaso, the deputy governor, Prince Eze Madumere and Dr Theodore O.E. Ekechi would not be allowed to return.

Owelle Okorocha who stated that the party led by the new state chairman, Hon. Daniel Nwafor has set up a reconciliation committee said that the reason for shutting out the leaders of the opposition group is not because they can’t be forgiven, but because they are not needed in the party.

He said, “Coalition has come to an end in Imo APC. We have won that battle which looked impossible. But we have set up a reconciliation committee to see how we bring back those willing to return. But there are six people we cannot accommodate again in APC because we can’t give them what they are asking for.”

Describing the coalition group as troublemakers, the governor stated that the APC in the state now has no crisis anymore and advised members to remain steadfast and throw their weight behind President Mohammadu Buhari come 2019.

He challenged Araraume, Izunaso, Uzodimma, Madumere to go to another party to run for governorship and win like he did in 2011 if any of them considers himself man enough to be counted.

On the issue of impeachment, the governor insisted that Prince Madumere remains impeached whether or not he has been replaced, stressing that the Head of Service, Sir Callistus Ekenze nominated to replace the embattled deputy governor will be accordingly sworn in when the court order restraining his swearing in is vacated.

Speaking on the gale of defections rocking the APC, nationwide, Okorocha observed that what is happening presently is a manifestation of what began about two years ago, noting that it is all about politicians seeking where to grab ticket and not that the ruling party is bad.

He assured that whether defection or not, President Buhari would win convincingly in 2019, adding that the South East has resolved to give massive votes to Mr President come next poll.

He further charged Ndigbo not to allow a repeat of the mistakes of bad politics played in 2015 when according to him, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, deceived the zone to pack all its eggs in one basket by not voting appreciably for Buhari and the APC.

The governor expressed worry over the quantum of uncollected Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs, and ordered that Wednesday and Thursday next week will be declared work-free days to enable workers and traders alike to register and collect their PVCs before the closing date announced by INEC.

•Sourced from Nigeria Pilot report

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